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What’s So Hot About Autumn Blaze?

It’s August now, and I admit that part of me is starting to think about the upcoming fall season. It’s the landscaper part of me that’s looking ahead; the outdoor enthusiast part of me is quite content with the current season and has no desire to rush the summer!

But as a landscaper, I know that the heyday of the floral season is over for another year. As summer’s flowers exit, fall’s leaves will begin to make their grand entrance on the stage. Annual flowers will provide some fall color, but if you live in (or like to visit) a region known for its fall foliage, then you know that autumn is really all about the pretty leaves — as well as the Halloween yard decorations and other harvest decor.

That’s partly why Autumn Blaze maple trees are so hot. But wild red maple trees (Acer rubrum) are an enduring symbol of fall in areas such as the northeastern U.S.; why plant Autumn Blaze in lieu of the old standby? Well, Autumn Blaze offers some improvements on the classic red maple. It is pollution-tolerant, can adapt to a variety of soil conditions, displays disease resistance and seems little fazed by insects.

Need another excuse for planting Autumn Blaze? Well, it just happens to be a fast growing tree — an important consideration for the impatient!